Director: Destin Cretton
Synopsis: Just Mercy shadows world-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson as he recounts his experiences and details the case of a condemned death row prisoner whom he fought to free.
Why Open: From Director Destin Cretton and starring one of inclusion’s greatest pioneers and stars, Michael B. Jordan. It’s the first major studio film to adopt the idea of an inclusion rider, a contractual provision that mandates women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community and other underrepresented groups be considered for key on-screen and behind-the-scenes jobs.
Producer: Kumail Nanjiani, Alan Yang
Synopsis: A small, collective portrait of America’s immigrants — and thereby a portrait of America itself.
Why Open: From the Oscar-nominated writers of indie hit The Big Sick and Master of None co-creator/executive producer, Alan Yang.
Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Charles Melton
Synopsis: The Miami PD and its elite AMMO team attempt to take down ARMANDO ARMAS, the dangerous head of a nascent drug cartel.
Director: Quek Shio-Chuan, Ho Yu-Hang
Cast: Huang Peijia, Wu Kang Ren, Ludi Lin, Tian Tze Kuang
Writer: Kai Yu Wu, Dan Hamamura
Creator: Choo Yangsze
Synopsis: Based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name created by Yangsze Choo, the story is set in 1890s Colonial-era Malacca and sees a woman receive a proposal from a wealthy family to become the ghost bride of their recently deceased son. The position is financially lucrative, but means she will be haunted for the rest of her life. Her escape is even more complicated.
Why Open: The Ghost Bride is an adaptation of a New York Times bestseller of the same name created by Yangsze Choo. The 6-part series takes a refreshing production approach of featuring dual directors and a team of international screenwriters with established Hollywood American-Taiwanese TV writer Kai Yu Wu as head writer.
Cast: Awkwafina, BD Wong, Lori Tan Chinn, Bowen Yang, Jon Park
Creators: Awkwafina, Teresa Hsiao
Co-Showrunner: Teresa Hsiao
Why Open: Based on the life of its multi-threat creator, Awkwafina, let’s celebrate a new all American family.
Director: Cathy Yan
Cast: Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, François Chau
Writer: Christina Hodson
Synopsis: After splitting up with The Joker, Harley Quinn and three other female superheroes – Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya – come together to save the life of a little girl (Cassandra Cain) from an evil crime lord.
Why Open: Cathy Yan is the first Asian Woman to direct a superhero film in history, after having incredible indie film and cross-continental success. In addition, she’s gone the length to cast a superiorly Asian cast in Ella, Ali, and Francois. Moreover, hapa Taiwanese writer, Christina Hodson, who recently penned the incredible Bumblebee, is writing Birds of Prey.
Author: Jenny Han
Cast: Lana Condor, Ross Butler, Janel Parrish, Sarayu Blue
Synopsis: Lara Jean and Peter have just taken their relationship from pretend to officially official when another recipient of one of her old love letters enters the picture.
Cast: Hayden Szeto, Ravi Patel
Synopsis: A traveling nurse takes three disabled men on a road trip to Montreal so they can lose their virginity at a brothel.
Why Open: Starring two of the most impressionable and relatable actors, Hayden Szeto and Ravi Patel, Come As You Are has swept the Audience Jury prizes at several film festivals while meaningfully highlighting the differently-abled community. The film will debut in theatres and can be pre-ordered on Apple: https://apple.co/36I4Poo.
